


No Girls Allowed!

by Pineprin137



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Boys Being Boys, Camping, Dad Jared, Dad Jensen, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Drama, Flirting, Forgiveness, Insecurity, Light Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Much to JJ and Arrow's dismay, Nervousness, No Girls Allowed, Parent-Child Relationship, Parental Argument, S'mores, Sick Character, Stomach Ache, Too many s'mores, briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2020-11-24 17:40:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20911523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pineprin137/pseuds/Pineprin137
Summary: The Padackles boys head out for a fun weekend at the lake.





	1. Day 1

It had been a long time in the making and as Jared’s SUV pulled out of the Ackles’ driveway, he laughed at the intermingled chatter coming from the three boys in the back. Jensen turned around in his seat with a big grin and tried to calm the children down. 

“Okay! I know we’re all excited about the BOYS ONLY camping trip, but we’re only two minutes in. You guys might want to pace yourselves, okay? We’ve still got a four-hour drive ahead of us.” 

Zeppelin huffed, “Yes, dad.” 

“Sorry, Uncle Jensen,” said Tom and Shep with a smile. 

Jared checked the rearview mirror and winked at his eldest, “So what do we want to listen to? I’m pretty sure I have that Barbie Fruitopia CD around here somewhere…” He looked over and saw Jensen quickly duck his head as his shoulders began to shake with barely contained laughter. The boys, however, did not find Jared’s suggestion funny. 

“NO! No girl stuff!”

“Yech!”

“Da-ad! We don’t want to listen to Odette’s stuff!” 

Stopped at an intersection, Jared raised his hands from the steering wheel for a moment. “Alright! Alright! I surrender! What do you guys want to listen to?” An argument immediately broke out over which music was preferred. Zeppelin voted for Garth Brooks, while Tom wanted something pop-y. Shep remained quiet, letting the older kids duke it out. 

Jensen noticed this and gestured to Jared. Jared observed the chaos in the back and found Shep silently watching out the window. “Hey, Sheppy, how about you pick first? Then at the rest stop, we can switch to someone else’s choice.” 

Shep grinned mischievously, revealing that had been his intention all along and asked Jensen to play ‘that one loud song about driving on the highway”. Jensen nodded very seriously and rifled through the Padalecki’s music collection until he found ‘Jared’s Road Trip Playlist’. He pushed the CD in the disk reader and selected number four. As the opening chords of Steppenwolf’s Born to Be Wild filled the car, Jensen high-fived Shep. The older boys only sulked until the chorus, then they joined in. 

“Born to be wi- i- i- ld!” Jensen and Jared laughed, relaxing back into their seats and enjoying the warm breeze. 

At the first rest area, Jared shuffled the boys into the bathroom while Jensen checked in with the girls and let them know how it was going. 

“Hey, hon.” 

Danneel sounded relieved to hear from him, “Hey, Jay. Break time?” 

“Yeah, we just made it.”

“Any problems?” 

Jensen sighed and rubbed his forehead, “Nah, everything’s good.”

“Zep’s doing okay with without Arrow?” The twins always did better when they were together. 

“Yeah, so far. Speaking of, how are the girls? Have they forgiven us for not being allowed on the trip?” Danneel laughed and informed him that no, his daughters were still upset that Daddy wouldn’t let them go camping too. 

Jensen chuckled, “Looks like I’m going to be going on another camping trip, huh?” Danneel soothed his worries just as their son came charging out of the bathroom. Jensen pointed his finger at Zep and raised his voice, “Hey! No running!” 

Zeppelin slowed and ducked his head. Jensen knelt and held out his arm, “C’mere, bud! Wanna talk to mom?” 

“Yeah!” He speed-walked towards his dad and practically snatched the phone from Jensen’s hand. 

“Hi, mama!”

“Hi, baby! Are you having a good time?” 

“Yeah! Lots of fun! I get to sit between Shep and Tom.”

“Not feeling nervous? How’s your tummy?” 

“No, I’m okay.” 

“Are you sure? It’s okay to get nervous, Zep. It’s the first time you boys are all alone together.” “Yes, mom…” 

Danneel sighed, “Okay, sorry. I love you. Be careful out there.” 

“Okay, love you too.” The little boy’s cheeks reddened as he handed the phone back to Jensen. 

“D, what did you say to him? Poor kid’s redder than a tomato.”

“I just wanted to make sure he was feeling okay. You know how nervous he gets…” 

“Oh! Yeah… no, everything’s fine.” 

“Jay.”

Jensen sighed and rolled his eyes, “Yeah, I know.”

“If he starts feeling bad you can give him half a tums.”

“Right.”

“And if that doesn’t work, he does better if one of us sits with him…”

“Mhmm. I know.” Jensen pursed his lips. 

“Jay, this is his first time on his own with you guys.” Tight-lipped, Jensen looked heavenward and prayed for patience. 

“D, honey, I know. Relax. He’s doing fine.”

He could hear her playing with her hair, a nervous habit. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and worried, “It’s been a while since you’ve had him on your own, Jay.”

Jensen’s voice was tense when he answered her, “Yeah, but I still rem--” 

“I just thought you might need a remin --” 

Irritated, Jensen interrupted his wife, “I gotta go, hun, Jared’s back.”

“Jay… I didn’t mean…”

“Okay.” 

Danneel sighed, “I love you… ” 

“Yeah, love you too. Tell the girls I love ‘em.” Jensen hung up and ran a hand through his short hair. 

Jared stood beside him and raised his brow at Jensen, “Everything okay?” 

Jensen gave a curt nod, “Everything’s fine. Zep, stay with Jared. I’ll be right back.” 

Jensen jogged over to the men’s room and quickly used the facilities. He paused while drying his hands off. Looking in the mirror, he saw the disappointment in his eyes. He needed to shake off what his wife had said. 

He always hated this part of the summer hiatus. There were always two weeks after he got back that Danneel seemed to forget that he was a capable father. It wasn’t true, he knows that. But it hurt just the same to be doubted and judged by her. It doesn’t help that it usually takes him at least one week to shed his actor skin and start behaving like regular Jensen again. But he would never do anything to endanger his children. Didn’t Danneel know that? Didn’t she know that she can trust him with the kids? 

“You good?” Jared asked when Jensen came back to the car. The boys were already strapped in and ready to go, excitedly discussing the possibilities of swimming, fishing, and boating. 

Jensen took a deep breath and pasted a smile on his face before he answered the other man, “Yeah. Let’s go.” 

Three hours later, everyone was more than ready to get out of the car. Jared had developed a mild headache about an hour out from the campsite so he and Jensen had switched seats hoping that Jared could sleep it away. Jensen had kept the boys occupied by playing a few car games and then spent the last thirty minutes singing off-key songs while the boys laughed and tried to join in. 

The campsite they chose was located close to the lake while still being within a ten-minute walk to the shower house and restrooms. They parked the SUV under a tree and quickly got to work unpacking the back. Jensen distributed the boys’ backpacks and then gave each of them a bag of food supplies to carry to the picnic table. Meanwhile, he and Jared pulled out the bags of lawn chairs, the duffle containing the unassembled tent and rechecked the emergency kit. Once everything was out of the car, the next task was putting the tent up. 

“Alright, troops! Line up!” Jensen stood with his hands clasped behind his back. The boys giggled and scrambled to take their places in front of him. 

“We have one mission here, boys! To build that there tent!” He pointed to the duffle sitting on the ground a few feet to his left. 

Jared joined them and mirrored Jensen’s position. Jensen continued, “Are you up to the task boys?” 

Zeppelin, Tom, and Shep nodded and yelled in unison, “Sir, yes, Sir!” 

Jensen saluted them and clicked his heels as he turned, “Dismissed!” 

The children ran over to the bag to begin reading the instructions and pull out all of the pieces while Jensen and Jared set up all five of the lawn chairs and then sat down. Jared grabbed two root beers from the cooler, per the wives’, no alcohol had been allowed, and handed one to his friend. They clinked bottles and smiled, watching the three boys. 

They intervened before construction got too far along. While Zep and Tom sorted out the different lengths of poles and separated the two kinds of stakes, Jared assisted Shep in connecting the main rods and sliding them through the canvas loops. Jensen used the time to set up the grill and pull out all of the ingredients he needed for dinner. He set all of the condiments on the table and then got to work grilling the burgers. 

“No! I want to do it!” Tom yelled and grabbed the pole from his brother’s hands.

Jared looked around the side of the tent where he was pushing the last two poles together. He watched as Tom pulled and Shep tripped over one of the pegs that hadn’t been pounded into the ground yet. The little boy lost his balance and fell into Jensen’s son who was busy using the small plastic mallet on another peg. 

Zeppelin’s hand slipped and he knocked the stake loose before falling forward. His wrist slammed into the ground and his knee scraped the metal. He cried out and reached for his bloody knee. Jensen heard his son’s cry and quickly removed the last burger from the grill before running over. 

“Hey! What happened?” 

He knelt next to the boys and gently helped Zep sit up. The boy had tears in his eyes but he hadn’t shed them, wanting to look tough in front of the older kids. Jared firmly took hold of his sons’ hands and led them away so that Jensen could tend to the wound. 

“C ‘mon, bud. Let’s get you off the ground.” 

Zeppelin wrapped his arm around Jensen’s neck and allowed his father to carry him over to the picnic bench. He sniffled quietly and wiped his nose on his hand.

Jensen shielded him from the other’s view and held him close, “Hey, it’s okay. We’ll get you cleaned up and you’ll be good as new.” 

While Jensen went over to the car to grab the first aid kit, Jared walked up with Tom and Shep in tow. 

“Alright, Tom. Shep. I think you guys owe Zeppelin an apology.” 

Tom ducked his head in shame while his brother sniffled and said, “Sorry, Zep. I didn’t see you behind me. I should have been more careful. I’m sorry you got hurt.” 

Jensen returned with the kit and waited behind the boys. Zeppelin raised his head and smiled at Shep, “It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to.” 

The group stood in awkward silence until Jared finally cleared his throat and nudged his eldest son. Tom didn’t look up from the ground when he spoke, “Sorry.” 

Jared sighed and opened his mouth but Jensen laid a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. 

He stepped around the boys and straddled the bench in front of his son, “Alright, how ‘bout you guys grab a bun and get it ready for you burgers while I can clean him up.” 

Once Jared and his sons walked off with their prepared buns, Jensen laid the kit on the table and opened it up. He fished around until he found an antiseptic wipe and a band-aid. He unscrewed the cap from the water bottle he’d brought and patted his thigh. Zeppelin carefully lifted his foot onto his dad’s leg and whimpered when Jensen poured some water over the cut. Luckily, it was just a minor scratch so it didn’t require a trip into town. 

“On three, okay?” Jensen waited until his son nodded, “Okay. One… Two… Three.” He carefully swept the antiseptic wipe over the cut and then applied the band-aid. “There, done.” Zeppelin gave him a timid smile and he reached out to ruffle the boy’s hair. “You good?” 

The boy nodded, “Yeah.” 

“Okay. How ‘bout we go eat?” Zeppelin nodded again and hopped off of the bench. Jensen followed behind him after gathering the trash and depositing it in the trash bag tied to the bench. 

“I know you getting hurt wasn’t necessarily your fault, but you need to be careful.” 

“I was careful! Shep fell on me!” 

“I know. What I’m saying is that you need to be extra careful out here. Okay? There’s a lot going on and I don’t want you to get hurt again. Okay?” 

“Da-ad…” 

Jensen halted and grabbed his son’s arm, “ _ Zeppelin.”  _

The boy averted his eyes from his father’s stern look and nodded, “Okay. I’ll be careful.” 

  
  


Dinner was quiet. The two older boys ate their burgers and watermelon and then sat sulking while Jared, Jensen, and Shep discussed the plan for tomorrow. Jared sighed guiltily while Jensen mentally rolled his eyes at his son’s behavior.

Anyone who assumed JJ or Arrow was the drama queen of the Ackles family had never seen Zeppelin when he was unhappy. The kid would milk it for all it was worth, only giving in when  _ he _ chose, regardless of what Jensen or Danneel said to him. 

Shep tapped his dad’s shoulder until Jared leaned down far enough for his youngest son to whisper in his ear. Jared listened and frowned in thought, before looking over at the fire pit. He shrugged and nodded to Shep, “Alright. Let’s go get it ready.” Jared gave Jensen a pleading look. Jensen sighed and nodded before turning back to the older boys.

Zeppelin and Tom watched curiously as Jared and Shep sat on one of the lawn chairs and started removing items from a large plastic bag. Metal skewers, a package of graham crackers, a few chocolate bars, and a bag of jumbo marshmallows were placed on the ground. Aghast, the boys looked at each other before speaking. 

Zeppelin looked at his father, “Dad! I wanna make s’ mores! Why don’t we get to make one!” Tom glanced longingly at the pit, where his brother and his dad were now laughing as they opened up the marshmallows and slid one onto a skewer. 

Jensen crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at his son’s tone, “Did we  _ say _ you couldn’t?” 

Tom spoke up, “No…” 

“No, we didn’t. You can go over there and make s’mores with the rest of us--” he paused and cleared his throat. The boys pulled their gaze from the pit where Jared was lighting a pile of kindling and Jensen continued, “Once you guys  _ stop _ .” 

Confused, they asked him to clarify, “Stop what?” 

“You two sat here all through dinner, sulking because you got in trouble.” Both the boys lowered their heads.

“Tom, you know better. Are you supposed to fight with your brother?” Tom shook his head. 

Jensen turned to his son, “Zeppelin, are you allowed to talk back?” 

“No, Sir,” Zeppelin replied quietly. 

The older man leaned forward and met each of the boys’ eyes, “Just because we’re out here and not at home, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow the rules. Now, I’m gonna head over there and roast some marshmallows. If you two would like to join us, you may… as long as you behave. No more pouting and no more attitude, okay?” He smiled and settled a hand on their shoulder, “We came out here to have fun, so let’s have fun.” 

Jensen rose from the bench and paused before walking over to join Jared and Shep, “It’s up to you, but we would really enjoy it if you decide to participate.” The boys exchanged a quick look and hurried to follow Jensen.

The firepit was a roaring success. The boys took turns being the one in charge of the s’more supplies and ate each had four complete sandwiches. Although one poor marshmallow fell victim to the flames--

“Okay, Sheppy, I think that one’s done.” 

“Just a little bit long--  _ nooo! _ ”

“He’s definitely done now, dude.” 

\-- the rest of the bag was split between the five of them. After the kids were cut off, the group took a trip to the bathroom to wash faces, use the facilities, and brush teeth. Once they returned, everyone gathered around while Jensen played a few songs on his guitar and Jared hummed a few tunes. 

Though Zeppelin and Shep fell asleep in the chairs around nine, Tom was allowed to stay up with the adults. They laughed while sharing stories and finished off the last two chocolate bars. Once Tom started getting drowsy, Jensen and Jared moved all three kids into the tent. The dads stayed up for a little while longer, checking in with the wives before they too went to sleep. 

***

Something prodded Jensen in his back and he rolled over. He squinted into the darkness and saw Zep sitting up next to him. “Zep? Buddy, what is it?” 

“My stomach kinda hurts.” 

“Hurts like you ate too much? Or hurts like you feel sick?” Zeppelin shrugged and Jensen sighed, “Okay, hang on. Let’s go outside.” 

Jensen grabbed the flashlight and carefully crawled over the sprawling Padalecki's before unzipping the door and following Zep outside. Jensen led his son over to the picnic table and sat him down on the bench. He took a seat next to the boy and checked his watch, yawning when he saw the time and rubbed his tired eyes. He leaned forward and looked over at Zep. 

“You think you ate too much?” Shrug. 

“You wanna try going to the bathroom?” Shrug. 

Jensen sighed. It was too damn early to try and interpret vague responses. 

“Okay, let me grab our shoes and then we’ll walk over to the bathroom.” 

Zeppelin followed closely behind him as they walked back to the tent. He waited outside while Jensen ducked back inside and located their shoes. 

Jared yawned and quietly asked him if everything was alright. 

“Yeah. I think maybe he ate too much. We’re gonna walk down to the bathrooms. Everyone good in here?” Jensen yawned again and handed a pair of child-sized flip flops through the tent flap. 

Jared checked the two lumps next to him. Tom was snoring softly, but Shep was watching them silently. 

Jared smoothed a hand over his son’s wild hair, “You need to go to the bathroom?” The boy nodded. 

Jensen met Jared’s eyes and gestured outside. Jared nodded back and then felt for his son’s shoes. He set them on the sleeping bag, “Alright, put your shoes on and you can go with Uncle Jensen.” 

Shep quickly crawled out of his sleeping bag and then slipped on his shoes before exiting the tent. The other two were already standing next to the car. Jensen had one arm around Zep, rubbing his back. Shep approached quietly and told them he was ready. 

Jensen nodded to show he’d heard him, “Okay. Let’s go. Stay close to me.”

Their shoes crunched as they walked along the main road. Jensen couldn’t seem to stop yawning but Shep felt comforted by the familiar sound. He didn't like the dark, but he also didn’t want to be called a baby so he kept quiet. There were a lot of noises out here: the lapping and  _ shh  _ of gentle waves on the lakeshore, the chirp of crickets, the ambient buzz of the lights up ahead… and one sound that he couldn’t quite figure out.

It sounded kind of like a gurgling noise... But it was also kind of grumbly? He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what made that noise so he moved a little closer to the older man and grabbed his hand. Shep knew that Jensen wouldn’t tell anyone he got afraid because one time he saw Uncle Jensen scream when a spider crawled on his arm and Shep had kept his promise and never told anyone. 

When Zeppelin suddenly burped, Shep jumped.

Jensen chuckled and looked over at him, “Easy, Shep. It’s alright.” Then he reached over and coasted his hand over his son’s back, “You okay?”

Shep leaned forward so he could see his friend and frowned. Zeppelin’s face was pinched like he was in pain. Wanting to help, Shep took a few steps forward. Jensen looked up just in time to pull Jared’s son out of harm’s way. The kid had almost walked straight into one of the cement posts in front of the bathhouse. 

Shep blushed and thanked him. Jensen noticed how the little boy was shifting from one foot to the other and smiled, “Go ahead. We’ll be in in a minute.” Then he crouched down in front of Zep and brushed his bangs out of his face. 

“How’re you feeling, buddy?”

The boy burped again and shook his head. His eyes were teary and it broke Jensen’s heart to see one of his kids in pain. 

“Alright, kiddo. Why don’t you at least try to go and then I’ll give you something to help settle your stomach?” Zeppelin nodded and they walked into the bathroom. He disappeared into one of the stalls and Jensen was left to wait on the two boys. According to the sounds coming from Shep’s stall, his system wasn’t reacting well to the sudden influx of processed sugar either. Jensen was glad they were the only three in the bathroom right now. 

He cringed in sympathy and knocked gently on Shep’s stall door, “You okay, kiddo?” 

“Yeah…” came the sleepy reply. Jensen leaned against the wall and pulled out his phone. Blinking to try and wake himself up, he texted Jared. 

_ Did u pack pedialyte? Sheps gonna need. _

While Jensen waited for a reply from the self-proclaimed ‘Keeper of the Cooler’, he took a few minutes to use the remaining stall and wash his hands. Then, just as he felt his phone buzz, he heard a rather loud hiccup come from the last stall. He walked over to the door and knocked, “Bud, you okay in there?” 

There was a mumbled reply that he couldn’t make out followed by a harsh cough. After three kids, Jensen was familiar with what the  _ burp-hiccup-cough _ sound combination meant and pushed the door open. 

His son was sitting hunched over on the toilet with one of his hands on his belly and the other covering his mouth as he coughed again. Jensen reacted quickly, walking over to the towel dispenser by the sinks, thanking god this campground actually kept their supplies stocked, and then hurried back to his son. He crouched next to him and held a handful of paper towels under Zep’s chin. 

“Shh, it’s okay. I gotcha.” 

Zeppelin removed his hand from his mouth and held onto Jensen instead. He whimpered once and then wetly burped, sending a splash of sticky white onto the towels. Jensen held him steady as he got sick and glanced up to see the other boy standing at the door. 

“Is he sick?” Shep asked worriedly. 

Jensen gave him a sad smile, “I think he just ate too much. He’ll be okay. How about you? How are you feeling?” 

“I’m okay. My stomach was kind of hurting, but I feel a little better now.” 

“We’ll get you some Pedialyte when we get back, okay?” The boy nodded so Jensen returned his attention to his son. He smoothed his hand over Zep’s dark hair, “Think you’re done?” 

Zeppelin smiled, “Um, yeah. I feel a lot better now.” Jensen chuckled and carefully folded the towels in his hand so the mess was contained.

“Yeah, I bet. Okay, let’s get you cleaned up and then we’ll head back.” He walked over to the trashcan by the door and deposited the dirty paper towels before washing his hands again. 

“Hey, Shep? Can you come here and wet a paper towel for me, please?” Happy to be of use, Shep quickly complied.

Jensen wiped Zep’s face clean and noticed how much he was wiggling. He asked, “You need to go?” 

He nodded. Jensen and Shep waited outside of the stall while Zep relieved himself. Once he was finished, Jensen helped him wash his hands and then led both boys back to the campsite. 

When they got back, they saw Jared sitting outside of the tent in one of the lawn chairs with the cooler at his feet. Shep ran directly into his arms and gratefully melted into one of his dad’s bear hugs while Jensen tucked Zeppelin back into his sleeping bag and then checked on Tom. The eldest of the three boys was still out, oblivious to any of the recent events. Zeppelin fell asleep pretty quickly now that he was feeling better. Jared sat with Shep while he drank half a bottle of Pedialyte and then returned to the tent. 


	2. Chapter 2

n the morning, the boys tried to convince the two men to let them go swimming before breakfast. Jared steadfastly denied their request while Jensen got out the bowls and spoons for cereal. He and Jared had discussed bringing eggs and bacon, but in the end, they chose cereal because it was quicker and required less clean-up. They had let each boy pick out a single serving box at the store so everyone would be happy. Jared had selected two boxes each for himself and Jensen and bought a jug of milk for all of them to share. Whatever was left would either be drunk later on or taken home the next day. 

They spent a good deal of the day in the water, splashing around. The boys trying to knock each other off of the older men’s shoulders. They took a quick break for lunch and then walked around the lake. Jensen had his hands full, juggling three children and a man who couldn’t say no to a wagging tail. When Jared walked over to pet the dogs, the boys wanted to race after him, and Jensen was forced to wait while everyone lavished cuddles on the cute puppies. He got drawn in a few times but was actually quite content just listening to the giggles and feeling the gentle breeze on his face. 

It felt amazing to get away from set for a few months and Jensen found himself not wanting to go back. He smiled when Zep slid his small hand in his. They stood watching Jared get slobbered on by an overly-friendly Great Dane called Whisper, laughed when Shep and Tom tried to dogpile him. 

“Do we have to go back tomorrow?” 

Jensen looked down at his son and sighed, “Yeah, buddy. We do. You don’t want to go home?” 

“I like it here. It’s quiet and we get to hang out without JJ and Sissy.” Guilt crept into Jensen’s voice when he answered, “Aw, buddy. We can hang out at home. Mom and the girls can watch a movie and you and I can do whatever you want.” Jensen could hardly believe he was trying to bribe his kid… 

“Can we go to the movies?”

“Sure. Anything you want.” 

“How about go swimming?” 

“Yup, we can do that too.” 

“Can we…” Zeppelin paused and thought hard before breaking into a smile, “go for a drive with our boots and hats on and-- and play Brooks and-- and drink from the um… fancy bottles?” 

Jensen threw his head back and laughed, “Absolutely!”

“Cool,” Zeppelin said. 

As they walked back to the campsite, Jared and Jensen let the boys lead. Tom raced Zep for the front of their group while Shep pointed out different leaves and animal tracks. When he stopped to explain a small set of tracks to Jensen and his dad, Zep abandoned his spot in front of Tom and hurried back to see what was going on. 

“And see up there? Mama says that’s a woodpecker. They eat bugs!” Shep pointed up into the tree and the older men both hummed and looked up. 

Shep squatted down and showed them a small hole dug in the sparse grass, “This one’s probably from a mole!” 

Zeppelin joined him and peered at the small opening. “Or a dog? It kind of looks like the kind Oscar digs.” 

The two younger boys chattered about the types of holes and what causes them. Jared smiled and nodded along while Jensen walked with Tom over to the lakeshore. They stood still, quietly watching the families frolicking in the water and the boats rushing by. 

Tom inched closer to his ‘uncle’ and Jensen stretched his arms over his head so the boy could covertly lean into him. He smirked and ruffled Tom’s hair before draping his arm loosely over the boy’s shoulders. 

“You having a good time?” Jensen asked him. 

Tom shrugged, but Jensen caught the wide grin on his face. “I guess. It’s kind of cool not to have the girls here.” 

Jensen chuckled, “Yeah, they were pretty bummed they couldn’t come. JJ didn’t even say goodbye before we left.” 

“Really?”

“Yup. I’ll have to take her camping too, I guess.” 

“Maybe…” Tom blushed and pushed his hair out of his eyes, “Maybe she could come next time?” 

Jensen looked down at him, shocked. “What happened to No Girls Allowed?” 

“Well, she’s really good at building sandcastles…” 

“True. Unlike Zeppelin and Shep…?” Jensen asked coyly. 

Tom tossed his hands up and huffed, “All they do is knock it down! I was so close! And then BAM! They ruined it!” 

“Well, maybe you should try to show them the ropes next time. I know that Zep doesn’t really get a chance between JJ and Arrow.” Jensen quickly said as Jared and the other boys walked up.

Shep gave a wide yawn and Jensen smiled. He turned his back to Jared’s youngest and then crouched down. “How ‘bout a ride back?” 

“‘Kay.” Shep replied and hopped onto his back. Jared did the same and Zeppelin jumped up, wrapped his arms loosely around Jared’s neck. Once he stood back up though, Zep grabbed a bundle of Jared’s hair and softly tapped his side. 

“Giddy up!” 

Jensen shook his head, “Zep, buddy, Uncle Jared isn’t a horse.”

“Neeiiiiggghhh!”Jared whinnied like a horse and then began to gallop. Tom followed alongside Jensen and his brother as they watched Jared and Zep horse around. 

Once they returned to their site, Jared and the boys practiced skipping rocks while Jensen got their last meal together. He and Jared had splurged and bought Lunchables instead of making burgers or hotdogs. The boys enjoyed making their kid-sized pizzas while the dads ate the leftover burgers. 

Shep carefully spread the pizza sauce with his finger, making sure it went all the way to the edge of the crust while his brother decorated his with a zigzag. Zeppelin decided to go out of the box and used the chocolate frosting on the crust then added pepperoni and chocolate candies. 

“Zeppelin, you only get one pack. So I hope you enjoy that,” Jensen warned his son while Jared grimaced. The other boys egged him on, daring him to add all of the candies and top it with cheese and tomato sauce. 

The young boy ended up with a pizza sandwich, all the available toppings smashed between two crusts. Zeppelin proudly held it up to show his dad and Jensen offered him a tight smile. 

Tom and Shep watched with gross fascination as Zep chewed his first bite. Jensen set down the remainder of his burger on his plate, no longer hungry. Jared had already finished his, thankfully. 

Zeppelin’s movements slowed and he grimaced. Jensen arched his brow, “Don’t like it?” The boy shook his head and dropped the rest of his pizza sandwich onto the plastic tray. Jensen grabbed the roll of paper towels and tore off a couple of sheets, held them out in front of Zep. 

“Spit it out.” The boy complied with his father’s request and Jensen quickly covered it up with the other paper towel, fighting his gag reflex. He tossed it into the grocery sack that was holding their trash then wiped his hands on his shorts. 

Zeppelin sulked quietly while Shep and Tom finished their pizzas and Jensen took pity on him, offered the boy the rest of his lunch. Zep smiled shyly and accepted it. 

Jared clapped his hands together and grinned at the boys, “Alright, you guys finish up while Jensen and I load up the car, then we’ll head out.” The young boys gave a collective groan and started mouthing their protests but Jensen cut them off. 

“You know, if y’all finish eating before we’re done, you could probably play around for a while.” 

That did it. Three mouths snapped closed and Jared and Jensen got up from the table. Jensen gathered all of the food supplies, packed any leftovers into the cooler. Jared walked over to the tent and started tearing it down. The boys quickly finished eating and then hopped off the benches. They each selected a stick from the ground. Tom stood in between Zeppelin and Shep who both stood with one foot in front of the other and one hand behind their back. Tom gave each of them a serious nod then shouted, “En garde!” 

Jensen shook his head as he walked over to the back of the SUV and loaded the cooler. Even though they lacked the finesse required in real fencing, the kids made up for it with enthusiasm. Once the food was packed away, he joined Jared and helped the other man disconnect the poles. Unfortunately for the boys, it only took the two men about half an hour to finish loading the car. 

“Aw, Dad! We have to finish the battle!” 

“Yeah. Uncle Jensen, we need to see who won!” 

Jensen arched his brow and smirked. The boys were helpless as he lunged forward and snatched their ‘swords’ from their hands. He chuckled at their shocked expressions, “ _ I _ did. Now go get in the car.” 

“I gotta go to the bathroom…” Tom said quietly as he dug the toe of his flip flop into the dirt. 

Jared’s head emerged from the trunk where he had been adjusting everything so he could see out the back window. They’d decided that he would drive them to the gas station, then Jensen would drive them back to Austin. 

He turned toward his oldest. “We’re going to stop at the gas station to fill up. So you can go inside while we get gas or we can stop by the bathrooms on our way out.” 

“I’ll go at the gas station.” 

Jared nodded, gestured to the car. “Alright, everyone in!” 

Tom and Shep crawled into the backseat and argued over who got to sit where while Jensen checked that Zeppelin was buckled in properly. Once everyone was settled, they pulled out and headed towards the grounds’ exit. 

Three hours into the drive, they pulled into the rest stop. Jensen took the boys into the bathroom this time while Jared called Genevieve. 

“Dada!” Odette screamed into the phone. Jared winced and held the phone away until the screeching stopped. 

“That’s right, baby. It’s Daddy.” There was a quiet shuffling noise while Genevieve adjusted her hold on their daughter and then she spoke to Jared, “Hi, honey. Where are you guys at?” 

Jared smiled and leaned against the side of the car. “We just stopped for a quick bathroom break.” 

Genevieve calculated in her head then asked, “The one just outside of Columbus?” 

“Yeah. We’ll probably stop again before we make it home. Dang tiny bladders.” 

His wife laughed and told him to be safe. She let Odette babble at Jared while she filled in Danneel then hung up so Jared could visit the restroom and help Jensen get the boys back into the car. 

About forty-five minutes outside of Austin, they pulled over on the side of the road so Shep could get out. He had been complaining about his stomach hurting for the last ten minutes and neither man wanted to risk it so they agreed a little break wouldn’t hurt. The other two boys were ready to get home though and they voiced their opinion while Jared and Shep got out. 

Jensen sighed. He wanted to be home too. “Guys, enough. We’ll get back on the road soon, okay? He just needs a few minutes out of the car.” 

Zeppelin crossed his arms and glared, “You said we would be home by four! It’s almost four-thirty!” 

Jensen grabbed his water bottle and took a long drink, fighting to keep his patience. After two days of continuous excitement with the three boys, he was ready to retreat to the bedroom and watch a movie with his wife. 

A kick landed against his seat and he clenched his jaw, shut his eyes. He counted to five in his head, only made it to three before something hit him in the arm. He raised his head. 

“ _ Zeppelin Brahm Ackles!  _ You do  _ not  _ throw things.” 

The little boy mumbled something under his breath and Jensen unbuckled his seatbelt so he could turn around. “What did I say about the backtalk?” 

Zeppelin huffed and looked away, “‘m not s’posed to.” 

“Zeppelin, look at me.” 

A pair of puppy dog eyes raised to meet Jensen’s. He almost caved, but then he remembered they still had at least an hour to get home with evening traffic. “Are you supposed to kick the seat?” 

“ _ No…”  _

“Are you allowed to throw things because you’re unhappy?” 

_ “No. _ ” 

Jared and Shep got back in the car. Jensen ignored them and held his son’s gaze. “Are you going to do it again?” 

Zeppelin gently shook his head, his cheeks red with embarrassment knowing that his friends saw him get in trouble. 

Jensen turned back around in his seat and buckled his seatbelt. He glanced at Jared, who gave a quick nod, then shifted the car into Drive and pulled onto the road. 


	3. Chapter 3

Jensen and Zep waved to the Padalecki’s as they pulled away then Jensen opened the door and ushered his son into the house. They could hear girly giggling coming from upstairs. Zeppelin was still pouting so Jensen followed him up the stairs and over to JJ’s room. 

The boys stayed in the doorway, watching as Arrow painted Danneel’s fingernails and JJ twisted her mother’s auburn hair into tiny braids. Danneel was wearing a pair of black yoga pants with her white tee shirt and pink sparkly boa. 

Jensen stepped into the room with a big smile, “Wow, I didn’t realize you girls were so talented!” 

“Daddy!” The girls chorused and abandoned Danneel to rush into Jensen’s outstretched arms. 

Danneel rose onto her knees and held out her arms. Zeppelin ran to her and buried his face against her chest. “Zep. What’s wrong, baby?” 

Not up to a confrontation with his wife, Jensen lifted Arrow and led JJ out of the room, saying, “C ‘mon, girls. Let’s go figure out what kind of pizza we should get tonight for dinner.” 

After his dad left the room, Zep sniffled and wiped a hand under his eyes. Instantly concerned, Danneel pulled her son onto her lap. She leaned down and brushed the hair from his eyes, “Hey, what’s the matter?”

Zeppelin looped his arms around her neck and mumbled into the boa. 

Danneel shook her head, “How ‘bout we try that again, hm? Without the boa.” She unwrapped the fluffy pink scarf and stood so she could walk it over to JJ’s dress-up box. 

The boy played with her long necklace while she cleaned up. Then Danneel carried him down the hall to her bedroom and took a seat on the soft bench across from the door to the balcony. He sat in front of her while she unraveled her hair and pulled out several hidden bobby pins and butterfly clips. Zeppelin wrapped his arms around his knees as he watched her. She smiled softly at him and pretended to bite his nose with a clip. He giggled quietly and buried his face in his knees to hide his smile. 

Knowing that her son would talk when he was ready, Danneel gathered the hair accessories and carried them to the dresser, then slid her feet into her slippers. She offered her hand to him, “What kind of pizza do you want?” 

“Um… cheese… and pepperoni?” He asked her with hopeful eyes. 

She chuckled, “I think that’s probably what your sisters will want too.” 

They descended the staircase and walked toward the back of the house where the kitchen was. They could hear JJ and Arrow speaking loudly about something and shared a smile. But as soon as Zeppelin heard Jensen’s voice, he tensed up and ducked his head. Danneel frowned and rubbed his back, walked into the kitchen. 

Jensen was attempting to follow his daughter’s excited conversation. “Right, well, I don’t see why not but-- what, sweetheart? Oh yeah, we can go swimming. Absolutely. JJ, please get down. You know better than to climb on the furniture.” 

Danneel halted just inside the door with Zeppelin leaning up against her. She fixed her husband with a hard look. Jensen sighed and told the girls to go put their toys away. They both tried to argue, but Danneel spoke up. 

“Girls. Enough. You can tell Daddy about the kitten during dinner. Right now, you need to go put your dress-up clothes away and wash up for dinner.” Jensen’s eyes widened when he heard ‘kitten’. 

Then Danneel crouched down so she could speak to Zeppelin, “You know who else is probably ready for dinner?” Zep smiled. She pointed to the back door where the dogs were whining, desperate to see Jensen and Zep. “Why don’t you get their bowls ready.” 

“Okay,” Zeppelin said quietly, looking anywhere but at his dad. 

“How many scoops does Icarus get?” 

“One.” 

Danneel rubbed her hand up and down her son’s arm, “What about Oscar?” 

“Two.” 

“Okay, go on,” she said with a wink, “I bet they’re hungry.” 

Zeppelin hurried toward the mudroom to prepare the dogs’ dinner. Danneel rose and whirled on her husband, “What the hell did you do?” 

Jensen crossed his arms with a heavy sigh, “He got in trouble on the way home.” 

“Okay… that doesn’t explain why he won’t even look at you. What the hell happened?” 

He huffed, “I told you. He got in trouble.” 

Danneel stared at him before giving a humorless laugh, “ _ Seriously? _ What is the matter with you lately.” 

Jensen softened his gaze, “Danni, please. I’m tired. I don’t want to do this.” 

She followed him into the living room. “Do what? All I want to know is why he’s upset. He’s my son, okay? Forgive me for worrying because Zeppelin won’t even look at you.” 

Jensen pursed his lips and turned around, faced his wife, “ _ Your _ son?” 

She rolled her eyes, “ _ Jensen _ , you  _ know _ what I meant.” 

He dropped to the couch and rested his head in his hand, “Can we not do this right now? I  _ just _ got home. I don’t want to fight.” 

She crossed her arms and bobbed her head, thinking. “Tough shit. If you won’t tell me what caused your son to cry in my arms after you got back, then I guess we  _ are _ going to fight.” 

“ _ Jesus, Danneel!  _ He got in trouble. Why do you want to know what happened?! Do you not  _ trust _ my judgment? Do you honestly think that I would chastise  _ any _ of our children without a valid reason?” 

“That’s not what I said--” 

Jensen stood up and threw his hands in the air, “He kicked my seat, okay? We pulled over for Shepherd so he wouldn’t puke in the car and Zep was upset because that wasn’t part of the plan! So he kicked my seat and then he talked back to me and  _ then _ because he  _ still _ wasn’t getting the attention he wanted, our son threw an action figure at me.” 

Danneel nodded in understanding and opened her mouth to apologize, but her husband’s patience was gone. He was exhausted and hurt and he didn’t want to hear anything else she had to say. 

“So,  _ yes, _ Danneel. I yelled at him. Because  _ I thought _ that we don’t tolerate that shit.  _ But maybe we do!" _ He walked over to the stairs and paused at the bottom, “If you want to lighten up the rules,  _ fine _ . But next time, how ‘bout you give me the freaking benefit of the doubt before accusing me of overreacting.” 

He stormed up the stairs and then Danneel heard the bedroom door slam shut. She stood there, trying to decide whether to go after her husband or give him a little time to decompress. 

A large dog slammed into her knees just as the doorbell rang. She sighed. Hopefully, Jensen’s bad mood would be gone by the time she paid for the pizza and got the kids settled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this was going to be the last chapter, but I just can't bear to leave things so awful between Jensen and Danni.


	4. Chapter 4

Jensen wasted no time, quickly removing his clothes before jumping in the shower. He placed his hands against the wall and hung his head, letting the hot water wash over his back and soothe muscles tense from blowing up at his wife. Unfortunately, now that his anger was fading, Jensen felt hurt. Knowing that Danneel doubted him... his ability to be a good father. 

He grabbed the bottle of body wash and squirted it onto a loofa. He scrubbed at his skin with more force than necessary, berating himself for losing his cool not once, but twice, today. “Great job, Ackles. Now not only is your kid mad at you, your wife is too.”

Anger built again, but this time it wasn’t at Danneel or his son. This time, Jensen was mad at himself. Not wanting to scare his kids, Jensen grabbed the loofa and threw it as hard as he could at the tiled wall. It didn’t make a sound when it made contact just fell into the water at his feet with a dissatisfying plop. 

“ _ Shit… _ ” he whispered as he slid down the wall. He pulled his knees to his chest and banged his head gently against the wall. He allowed himself a few minutes to sulk and then got up. He finished his shower and got out, pulled on a fresh pair of underwear and sat with his back against the side of the bed. The lingering scent of his wife’s perfume made him smile and he turned his head to lay his cheek on the bed skirt. 

Danneel entered the bedroom and glanced around. “Jay?” 

Jensen sighed and raised his hand so she could see it, “I’m over here.” 

She walked around the bed and frowned at her husband, “What are you doing on the floor?” 

Jensen looked up at her. “I’m sorry I yelled. I shouldn’t have done that.” 

Danneel sighed and kneeled in front of him, “Jensen, I know you think I don’t trust you, but I do. And if you yelled at Zep, I’m sure you had a good reason.” 

“That’s… nice. But I was actually talking about my bitchfit downstairs. I never should have yelled at you, Dee.” 

“Well, maybe I deserved it. I didn’t listen to you, Jay. I was so worried about Zeppelin that I totally ignored you.” 

Jensen held out his arm and she slid into place. He smiled,  _ perfect fit _ . 

“Honey, you were worried about our son. I’m not mad that you went all mama bear. I love that you feel so protective of our children. But sometimes, it feels like you’re doubting me.” 

She raised her hand and smoothed it over her husband’s damp hair, “Jay…” 

“I know. But-- you remind me about things. Things that I  _ know _ because we have three kids. Because even though I’m gone for nine months out of the year, I raised ‘em too. I know what to do if one of them gets nervous or sick or hurt. I know that JJ likes apple juice, but Zeppelin only drinks orange juice. Arrow prefers action in her bedtime story but it riles Zep up too much and he won’t be able to sleep. That as much as JJ wants us to believe she’s a big girl who’s all grown up, she still gets scared before going to a sleepover.”

Danneel lifted her head off his chest and looked into his eyes, “I’m so sorry, Jay. I don’t mean to I am so damn proud of you. You try so hard to be a good dad and you  _ are _ . You pay attention to them and make all of them feel equally loved. I don’t doubt you, Jay. I just know that if you forgot something simple, you would beat yourself up over it. So I remind you. Even though I  _ know _ that you don’t need it.” 

“Dee…” 

She leaned up and kissed him softly. “I love you, Jay.” 

“I love you too.” 

“Now, can we  _ please _ get off the floor? Because I don’t know about you, but I’ve had three kids and my body is not what it used to be.” 

Jensen laughed then stood and helped his wife up, “Gettin’ old, honey? Shame. You used to be so hot.” 

She scoffed and patted his cheek, “Who are  _ you _ calling  _ old _ ?  _ I’m  _ not the one who’s been on the same show for  _ fifteen _ years.” She batted her eyelashes and Jensen smirked. 

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “ _ I may be in my forties, but I guarantee I can still catch you _ …” 

Danneel’s eyes widened at the challenge and she danced back out of his reach. She pulled her long hair loose from the scrunchie she’d donned to serve pizza and bit her lower lip. Jensen smiled ferally and waited until she was out of the bedroom then chased after her.


End file.
